The Daily Dose/September 18, 2026
By Gaylon Kent – America’s Funniest Guy™
Leading Off
Notes From Around Our Human Experience
PLAY BALL: Baseball’s regular season has nine days left, and as we write this, only eight teams have been eliminated from the playoffs. Of the teams still in the hunt – at least theoretically – nine are below .500, meaning they have lost more games than they’ve won.
Fly In The Ointment: This is wrong. Too many bad teams are staying in the playoff race for far too long, nowadays. The Kansas City Royals, 18 games under .500, were only eliminated from the playoffs this week when they should’ve been eliminated by Memorial Day. This means the playoffs, which feature twelve teams – three division champions and three wild card teams – are too big.
Dry, Technical Matter: With 30 teams, two leagues, and three divisions in each league, division champions and one wild card team in each league are enough playoff teams. This would see the playoffs start with the Division Series, and get rid of those infernal best-of-three series that also give the two best teams in each league momentum-depleting five days off.
The Bottom Line: What we’d like to see is the big leagues expand to 32 teams and into eight four-team divisions, with only the division champions qualifying for the playoffs. This would give old-timers the satisfaction of only having champions make the playoffs, while TV networks and MLB bean counters get three series. And why not make the Division Series best-of-seven instead of the current best-of-five?
Today At The Site
Writing worth reading. Usually.
The Diary of a Nobody – Sparrow holds a counseling session. Today’s Diary.
We told her that we’re all human and that no one in this department is an image on a stained glass window, which she didn’t find comforting at all…
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On This Date
Extra, extra, read all about it.
In 2009 – The soap opera The Guiding Light airs for the final time, after 72 years. The show premiered on NBC radio in 1937, later moved to CBS Radio before going to CBS Television in 1952. A total of 18,262 episodes aired, and The Guiding Light remains the longest-running American soap opera. The title referred to the office light that was on in a character’s study, showing when it was a good time to come and discuss a problem.
In 1966 – Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts establishes a new NFL record for most touchdown passes in a career in a 38-23 win over the Minnesota Vikings. Unitas had four touchdown passes, finishing with 214 career touchdowns, breaking the record of 212 established by Y.A. Tittle from 1948-64. Unitas retired in 1973 with 290 touchdown passes, his mark was broken in 1975 by Fran Tarkenton, and the record is now 649, by Tom Brady from 2000-22.
In 1961 – Judy Garland is at #1 on Billboard’s Top LPs mono and stereo charts with Judy at Carnegie Hall. The album was #1 on the mono chart for the second of 13 consecutive weeks and at the top of the stereo chart for the first of nine consecutive weeks. The album also peaked at #1 in Great Britain and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. It was the second of four Top 10 albums for Garland, and remains her only #1.
Some Philosophy Crap
The wisdom of the ages. Whatever.
Young man, why wilt though haste so fast? Thy vessel sails the open sea, and the harbor to wh0ich I am steering thee is still far off.
Ovid
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Knowledge is power.
The major league record for most career double plays by a fielder is 2,004, by first baseman Mickey Vernon, from 1939-60.
Today’s Stumper
Match wits with Gaylon. It’s not that hard.
How many hits did Judy Garland have on Billboard’s pop charts? – Answer next time!
